How My Own Pain Injuries and Recovery Shaped Me as a Pain Relief Specialist
Written by Jamie Lloyd, Chronic Pain & TMJ Specialist
Jamie Lloyd is a multi-award-winning Chronic Pain & TMJ Specialist known for treating complex pain cases when other treatments fail. Based in Surrey, he delivers a results-driven, fascia-focused approach, attracting clients from across the UK and internationally.
When someone walks into my clinic and tells me how much pain is affecting their life, I understand how consuming it can be. I’ve spent years living with pain myself. I lived with jaw pain for 18 years. My jaw ached, popped, and clicked, and it affected my confidence. I wore braces for two and a half years before undergoing major temporomandibular joint (TMJ) surgery, during which my jaw was dislocated and realigned. I still have metal in my jaw.
I also lived with back pain and sciatica for 12 years and underwent back surgery. For a long time, I just lived with the pain and carried on. I completed the London Marathon in 3 hours 15 minutes and the New York Marathon in 3 hours 49 minutes while experiencing debilitating back pain.
After back surgery, I went on to win the British Kettlebell Championships in Clean and Jerk. That involved performing clean and jerks continuously for 10 minutes with two 20kg kettlebells, 40kg in total. After everything I had experienced with my back, that achievement meant an enormous amount to me.
Alongside this, I lived with Achilles tendinosis for 30 years. I limped around for what felt like forever. I became so used to the discomfort and its effect on my movement that pain started to feel like a normal part of life.
My history also includes six shoulder dislocations, two shoulder operations, a broken clavicle, a broken hand, chipped bones in my fingers, a ruptured hamstring, torn knee ligaments, and a fractured ankle. I’ve had my appendix removed, and around 18 months ago, I underwent a dental bone graft, had two implants fitted, and received composite bonding.
Each experience brought its own challenges. Together, they taught me how pain and recovery can affect sleep, confidence, independence and your sense of who you are. When movement and training are a big part of your life, being unable to do what you love can be incredibly frustrating.
This year, I completed the 300km Dragon Ride, took on the Étape du Tour and completed the seven-day Haute Route cycling challenge. The Haute Route involved around 800km of cycling and 20,000 metres of climbing from Nice to Thonon-les-Bains, with around 25% of participants not finishing.
Those challenges tested me physically and mentally. They also showed me how far I had come. Through my injuries, operations, rehabilitation and sporting challenges, I’ve built resilience, inner strength and what I call an indestructible mindset. I now feel I can take on anything because I trust my ability to adapt, rebuild and keep moving forward. That includes recognising when to rest, seek help or change direction.
Looking back, I recognise how often I simply accepted pain and pushed on. My experiences have since helped me appreciate the importance of thorough assessment, appropriate treatment and rehabilitation suited to the individual. For me, resilience also means making decisions that support recovery.
Today, I run a multi-award-winning pain relief clinic in Surrey, welcoming people from across the UK and overseas. My work and clinic have received more than 20 awards in just two years, something I’m incredibly proud of.
Behind those achievements is nearly 12 years of hands-on clinical experience, continued professional training and a personal understanding of what it means to struggle with pain.
Through my Clinical Reset™ approach, Assess, Measure, Treat, Retest and Adapt, I bring together detailed assessment, hands-on treatment and personalised rehabilitation. I consider the physical, psychological and social factors that can influence pain, alongside each person’s goals and circumstances.
My own experiences influence how I listen. I know what it feels like to be frustrated with your body, to worry about the future and to wonder whether you’ll ever return to the activities you love.
That is why helping someone make progress means so much to me. It might be turning their head more comfortably, getting back into the gym, enjoying a walk, or feeling more confident in everyday movement.
I’ve worked hard to rebuild that confidence in my own body. Now, helping others rebuild theirs is at the heart of what I do.
Read more from Jamie Lloyd
Jamie Lloyd, Chronic Pain & TMJ Specialist
Jamie Lloyd is a multi-award-winning Chronic Pain & TMJ Specialist based in Surrey, known for treating complex pain conditions when other approaches have failed. He is the founder of a leading pain relief clinic, delivering a results-driven, fascia-focused approach that targets the root cause of pain, not just symptoms. With over 300 five-star reviews and clients travelling from across the UK and internationally, Jamie has built a reputation for resolving chronic pain, TMJ dysfunction, headaches, and musculoskeletal conditions. His work has earned multiple national and international awards, including Practitioner of the Year and back-to-back Sports Therapist of the Year.
